Forest Ecology and Management publishes scientific articles linking forest ecology with forest management, focusing on the application of biological, ecological and social knowledge to the management and conservation of plantations and natural forests. The scope of the journal includes all forest ecosystems of the world.

A peer-review process ensures the quality and international interest of the manuscripts accepted for publication. The journal encourages communication between scientists in disparate fields who share a common interest in ecology and forest management, bridging the gap between research workers and forest managers.

We encourage submission of papers that will have the strongest interest and value to the Journal's international readership. Some key features of papers with strong interest include: 1. Clear connections between the ecology and management of forests; 2. Novel ideas or approaches to important challenges in forest ecology and management; 3. Studies that address a population of interest beyond the scale of single research sites (see the editorial), Three key points in the design of forest experiments, Forest Ecology and Management 255 (2008) 2022-2023); 4. Review Articles on timely, important topics. Authors are encouraged to contact one of the editors to discuss the potential suitability of a review manuscript.

The Journal receives more submissions than we can publish, so authors should demonstrate a clear link with forest ecology and management. For example, papers dealing with remote sensing are acceptable with a strong link between ecology and management, but not if the main thrust is technological and methodological. Similarly, papers dealing with molecular biology and genetics may be more appropriate in specialized journals, depending on their emphasis.

Some papers are rejected because they do not fit within the aims and scope detailed above. Some examples include: 1. Papers in which the primary focus is, for example, entomology or pathology or soil science or remote sensing, but where the links to forest ecology and management are not clear or strongly developed; 2. Model-based investigations that do not include a substantial field-based validation component; 3. Local or regional studies of diversity aimed at the development of conservation policies; 4. The effects of forestry practices that do not include a strong ecological component (for example, the effects of weed control or fertilizer application on yield); 5. Social or economic or policy studies (we recommend 'Forest Policy and Economics': click here); urban forestry (we recommend Urban Forestry and Urban Greening (click here), and agroforestry studies. 6. Application of routine forest inventory approaches to assess standing biomass or content of carbon and nutrients at the stand scale.